Who Says Eating Snacks Before Bedtime is Unhealthy? Not When You Eat These Nutritious Foods

Most of us already know that eating before bed is an unhealthy habit. But, can you resist that bag of chips or bowl of popcorn while watching your favorite movie or series on Netflix?

More so, do you know what to do if, in the middle of the night, you wake up with a growling stomach because you're hungry?

Whatever your reason for still wanting to eat before bedtime despite the warning of many experts that it is a bad practice, you don't have to suffer and sacrifice for not eating anything. There are bedtime snacks you can enjoy that are even healthier than others.

According to registered dietitian Tony Castillo, "Bedtime snacks can be healthy," and it can help one sleep better. Castillio, also a performance dietitian at Nutrition for Performance, added that people who exercise regularly and are physically active could benefit from adding in nutrients that can contribute to their muscles' repair and recovery while sleeping.

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'Must-Not-Eat' Foods Before Bedtime

This registered dietitian said there are certain foods though we can avoid eating before we go to bed as they may disrupt sleep.

He advises avoidance in eating junk food with lots of sugar content and those with processed carbs. Those two, he explained, can work against a person achieve a good night's sleep. "Fast-digesting carbs," he added, could lead to an energy boost.

Among the foods, you may want to stop eating before bed includes spicy foods as they can lead to acid reflux, and surely, you wouldn't want to wake up because of digestive problems the whole night.

One more typical trigger for heartburn is chocolate since it is rich in fat, and it has other ingredients that can work against digestion, particularly at night.

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What You Can Eat

Aside from focusing on eating balanced nutrition with high-quality foods at night, it would help if you also considered the timing of your snacks in a manner that does not disrupt sleep.

Timing can differ from one person to another, although usually, you will opt not to eat right before you fall asleep.i

Sleep experts say there are some people who can eat something before going to bed, but they don't encounter any problems.

Meanwhile, according to Castillo, others may need a "cut-off time of two hours" before sleep as eating the food may cause acid reflux.

Health and nutrition experts recommend a "slow-digesting and high-fiber-carbohydrate" to keep the switch for muscle-building on while asleep. Essentially, we may want to opt for a high-fiber carb as a fast-digesting one can lead to a spike in blood sugar, not to mention keep us awake.

Examples of foods with slow-digesting carbs include brown rice, oats, grains, vegetables, and fruits. Meanwhile, slow-digesting proteins may comprise casein, which is found in dairy products like cheese and yogurt, and it usually comes in powder form.

Peanut butter is another recommended snack before bedtime as it has tryptophan, which helps to relax the brain and muscles.

Other foods you can eat and still achieve that good night's sleep include almonds that contain melatonin and magnesium, which both promote better sleep; Milk that's known to help one sleep well; Kiwi fruit, which also has magnesium and melatonin.

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